Help! Keeping cool

[ChloeThePiggy]

Hello guys,

I recently just got two new piggies. Coco and Ruby A very beautiful duo. However, I’m not familiar with guinea pigs, I got them for my birthday. I work full time 9-5 or 2-10 job every day. I come home to have enough time to spot clean then sleep. They are in my room considering my home is very limited in space. However, my first problem is the heat in my room. I try to keep my air conditioner running as much as possible from around 75-77 degrees considering sometimes the air conditioner doesn’t maintain the cool air and fluctuates a lot. I’m not sure what to do. Second issue is my piggies have been sneezing more then usual. Constantly! However, I see no other signs of URI. No eye issues no runny nose. They eat and drink fine. I’m not sure if it’s an allergy to the bedding or the hay. Third issue, they fight a lot. I have two hides considering I just have a Midwest piggies cage as attached. And they have space. I can’t buy another hide because that cage already takes up my entire room. Help please help! Last and final thing, their veggies. I’m not sure how that works. I usually always give them a full bowl of veggies which include romaine lettuce, spinach, and cucumber. Considering today is a hot day I gave them cucumbers on a plate with water they ate them all. Should I give them their typical Romaine and spinach later in the day. My mother would usually give them they second serving but is it to much?

 

[Wiebke]

Hello guys,

I recently just got two new piggies. Coco and Ruby A very beautiful duo. However, I’m not familiar with guinea pigs, I got them for my birthday. I work full time 9-5 or 2-10 job every day. I come home to have enough time to spot clean then sleep. They are in my room considering my home is very limited in space. However, my first problem is the heat in my room. I try to keep my air conditioner running as much as possible from around 75-77 degrees considering sometimes the air conditioner doesn’t maintain the cool air and fluctuates a lot. I’m not sure what to do. Second issue is my piggies have been sneezing more then usual. Constantly! However, I see no other signs of URI. No eye issues no runny nose. They eat and drink fine. I’m not sure if it’s an allergy to the bedding or the hay. Third issue, they fight a lot. I have two hides considering I just have a Midwest piggies cage as attached. And they have space. I can’t buy another hide because that cage already takes up my entire room. Help please help! Last and final thing, their veggies. I’m not sure how that works. I usually always give them a full bowl of veggies which include romaine lettuce, spinach, and cucumber. Considering today is a hot day I gave them cucumbers on a plate with water they ate them all. Should I give them their typical Romaine and spinach later in the day. My mother would usually give them they second serving but is it to much?

Hi!

Please take the time to read our tips on keeping cool; there is a lot more than just an air conditioner that you can do.
Like placing damp (but not dripping) sheets, beach towels or fleece where the evaporating water can help to cool the air around them, frozen water-filled drinks bottles, wrapped in a towel, ice packs, snugglesafes cooled in the fridge etc.
Hot Weather Management And Heat Strokes

Temperatures around 25 C/77 F are still tolerable; the problem starts when it gets much hotter. Please be careful to not have them in the direct blast of the air con; that can cause respiratory problems.

Please do not overfeed veg, it can lead to diarrhea; be careful with lettuce as it can contribute to diarrhea and feeding high calcium spinach on a daily basis.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

It is better to keep your piggies and especially their water as cool as you can. You can keep a jar of water in the fridge to replace the warm water in the bottles and if necessary add some crushed ice to it when you are out for longer.
The temptation to overfeed watery veg and fruit in hot weather!

Since we have got members and enquiries from all over the world, we find it very helpful if you please added your country, state/province or UK county to your details so we can always tailor any advice to what is relevant and available where you are straight away. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to account details and then down to location. This makes it appear with every post you make and saves everybody time. Thank you!

 

[Wheekallweek]

Could it perhaps be the aircon making them sneeze? Just a thought x

 

[ChloeThePiggy]

I’m not sure the air conditioner is not blasting in them. And it’s at 77. I can’t turn off the AC because my room can reach up to 95 degrees

 

[Wiebke]

I’m not sure the air conditioner is not blasting in them. And it’s at 77. I can’t turn off the AC because my room can reach up to 95 degrees

You can divert the flow a bit by fixing a sheet or fleece so the full blast is not going straight onto the cage. If that fabric is damp, the air con will help to cool the area around the sheet as the sheet dries.

It will also help with the problem that air conditioned places have rather dry air, which some guinea pigs can struggle with.

if you notice further respiratory problems, please see a vet in case your piggies have picked up a respiratory infection, which requires an antibiotic to treat.
Guinea Lynx :: URI

 

[ChloeThePiggy]

Their not near the AC so they have no direct air flow from the ac. I’m at work and I work full time so I can’t constantly change their water. I put an ice pack in a towel and left the AC at 77 degrees. But I’m not sure what you mean by using a sheet and then the wet damp cloth

 

[Wiebke]

Their not near the AC so they have no direct air flow from the ac. I’m at work and I work full time so I can’t constantly change their water. I put an ice pack in a towel and left the AC at 77 degrees. But I’m not sure what you mean by using a sheet and then the wet damp cloth

OK, then the A/C should not be the direct problem. Sprinkling water on fabric can help cool a room on a hot day. If the cage was very close to the A/C unit, a damp sheet could be used to divert the full impact a bit as well as at the same time contributing to cooling the air in the room.

You can cool water overnight in the fridge and try to put some crushed ice into the bottle first before you fill it for the day. That should keep the water cool enough to drink until you come home. You can also leave a larger chunk of cucumber straight from the fridge as that keeps cooler for longer compared to small pieces.

A large fizzy drinks bottle which you fill about 4/5ths with water and freeze solid overnight takes the longest to defrost when you are out at work all day. Wrap it in a towel so the piggies cannot get frost burn.

 

[ChloeThePiggy]

You can divert the flow a bit by fixing a sheet or fleece so the full blast is not going straight onto the cage. If that fabric is damp, the air con will help to cool the area around the sheet as the sheet dries.

It will also help with the problem that air conditioned places have rather dry air, which some guinea pigs can struggle with.

if you notice further respiratory problems, please see a vet in case your piggies have picked up a respiratory infection, which requires an antibiotic to treat.
Guinea Lynx :: URI

So you suggest I put a damp cloth over my AC?

 

[Hensa]

I think you can put a damp cloth on the end of the cage nearest any air flow from the AC unit. I wouldn’t put a cloth over the AC itself.

 

[Wiebke]

So you suggest I put a damp cloth over my AC?

No, not over the A/C directly (that would choke it); but of the area of the cage that is closest to the A/C.
You have to work out for yourself which combination of measures works best for you and your piggy room.
Our rooms and set-ups, access to A/C (and its efficieny), fans or nothing at all are different, depending on where in the world you are and what your climate is. We have collected as many tips as we know for sure are effective to some degree so there is something for everybody and a combination that can be worked out by anybody wherever they are with whatever they have access to.

 

[ChloeThePiggy]

This morning I did put a wet towel facing the ac in their cage and I put the AC to reach around the temperatures of 70-73 to see if it won’t go below that.

 

[Richard Pashley]

Happy new piggies and hello to Coco and Ruby, I hope you managed to keep them cool in this ridiculous heat.
I found opening the window in the morning for good old fresh air and close before you go to work, and do the same at night helps with the stuffiness in the house. Wiebke is awesome for expert advice so you are in good hands so read all the links you get sent.
I like the idea of placing cucumber on a plate of water, I'll have to try that one.
It got so hot I froze water in small water bottles and wrapped them up in a thin tea towel. My two boys love just lying next to them keeping cool.
All the best

 

[Richard Pashley]

Oh, I forgot to say I also use a shallow ceramic bowl just for cold water for them to dip their toes in etc.
Moonlight, one of my piggies, especially likes this and uses it often to cool down.
Just don't forget to clean and refill morning and night

 

[ChloeThePiggy]

Oh, I forgot to say I also use a shallow ceramic bowl just for cold water for them to dip their toes in etc.
Moonlight, one of my piggies, especially likes this and uses it often to cool down.
Just don't forget to clean and refill morning and night

Awesome thank you so much. I’ve been so worried about them lately. I typically instead of running the AC at night I keep a window open we by morning the room is refreshed than turn it on before my 8 hour shift